1. Field
The disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for tensioning a hose for a rock drill system.
2. Background Art
A rock drill system may include a rock drill assembly slidably mounted on a feed channel, and multiple hoses for supplying media, such as hydraulic oil and lubricant, to the rock drill assembly. The hoses typically have different diameters and may be guided along the feed channel over a hose drum, sheave or rollers. Such techniques for guiding the hoses are usually provided so that the hoses do not tangle or snag on components associated with the feed channel. It is desirable to maintain tension on the hoses to keep the hoses running in grooves in the drum, sheave or rollers.
A prior technique for tensioning hoses involves using adjustment nuts that are threaded onto long threaded tubes, which tubes are connected to end fittings of the hoses and extend through openings in a support bracket. The nuts may be rotated to thereby pull on the threaded tubes. As a result, tension on the hoses may be increased. During this process, however, the hoses may also be pulled over fixed, semi-circular structures, which may retard movement of the hoses and thereby reduce tension.
Another prior method of tensioning hoses involves one person pulling on one end of each hose, and another person tightening a stationary hose clamp around the other end of each hose. Because the hoses typically expand or contract due to internal pressure, it is difficult to keep the hose clamps tight on the hoses.
Still another prior method of tensioning a hose involves one person pulling on one end of the hose, and another person tightening a collar that is positioned on an opposite end of the hose. As a result, the opposite end of the hose is pulled against a tube structure through which the hose extends, thereby holding the opposite end of the hose in place.